#my only coping mechanism for stress is memes lol

[whatislifebesidesrehearsal]

Actor 1: *walking in* Hello, I have returned!

Actor 2: Hi. I did it.

A1: Did... what?

*The director storms in, slams a water bottle on the table with a grunt, and storms out again.*

A2: ...That.

Deck Chief, from the corner: (mumbling) I am uncomfortable with the energy we have created in the studio today...

[revive-the-fandom]

Genuine question. Why do think jack frost doesn't like pranks?

sorry for leaving this so long, i was originally just gonna link this post and be done with it but i kinda want a second go at explaining it??? if not for anyone else then for my own sake lol

tbh that first post kinda reads as juvenile and defensive now that i re-read it...

i'll link @rotg-goc-headcanons idk if you were the anon or not but i figure you might be interested in a... more coherent explanation..

in the original post i got a bit side-tracked trying to prove one thing over the other. but i don't think this is a black/white situation in actuality. people are full of contradictions and i think in trying to prove that jack 100% at all times did not like pranks was working against me rather than for me.

so, i want to change my statement:

i disagree with the popular opinion (present in most fics and a lot of other fanworks) that jack is the prankster archetype.

i see a lot of people claiming that jack would be the type to set up pranks just for the fun of it. the kind of stuff you'll find on old school youtube where people run into clingfilm or replace icing with toothpaste etc. personally i find that doesn't match up with the canon version of events.

in canon, jack's pranks are very specific - they are a reaction to a specific person, and as such are tailored for that situation and individual.

jack has been seen to use pranks for the following:

to play with other kids and entice them into a game

to encourage the side-lined kid to join the game (and to overcome stereotypes and implied bullying)

as a defence in verbal fights

to deflect attention away from himself

as a distraction strategy in a literal fight

to calm down/cheer up/distract others in stressful situations

to bond with those around him

i think it's important to his character that he's not extreme in his use of pranks as some fanworks might suggest.

jack never seems to use pranks to draw attention to himself, or to make another person uncomfortable. i saw a few responses to my original response that mentioned that jack only really uses his pranks as a way to bring joy to others not to himself (i think it was @giantgirl253 but the tagging doesn't seem to work).

if you think about it, him being the prankster archetype that he's constantly characterised as doesn't mesh with him being good with kids or having the 'fun' centre. he would just come off as annoying (which i suppose is the most likely reason for why he gets written like this - to explain why bunny and north have a somewhat negative first impression of him.

ACTUALLY i think i may have stumbled onto the main problem with how jack is characterised.

a lot of people, in universe and in audience, tend to believe what they're told about jack rather than how we see him behave.)

i'd argue that jacks use of pranks is more in line with this dumb meme:

i'm also gonna reiterate that jack goes through a major character development (ofc he does he's the mc) i bring this up for two reasons:

firstly, bc a lot of people cite that first scene in moscow as a major reason as to why he should be characterised as a prankster when its showing him at his most immature, insecure and selfish point

secondly, bc the scene in moscow is a situation in which jack is still stuck in a neglectful and harmful environment which is eroding his ability to see things clearly (mostly affecting his ability to accept responsibility, something he was capable of in the prologue and the flashback, but not in the first half of the movie). his pranks are as much a (subconscious) cry for help as they are a coping mechanism for his lack of corporeality.

(btw i'm sticking with my original claim that north and sandy are the pranksters of the group. jack just gets carried along bc he's a good sport like that, and bunny... is competitive and insecure lol)

tldr: its not that i think jack dislikes pranks per se, but that jack has specific terms for how, when and who he uses his pranks on. he's not a cluster of personality traits that go full throttle at all times, he knows when to stop, when and where his actions change from playful to cruel.

[surveysonfleek]

1548.

Zodiac Bingo 

Aries Gotta go fast Independence Participant, always Fuck you, don’t tell me what do to *brooding intensifies* Good sense of humor I ain’t neva scared “I’m not competitive but I’m gonna win” Assertive Going first Running yellow lights

People are drawn to you even tho you don’t invite them Feelings = action Impulsivity Creative Leader Competent “I thought you didn’t like me”-everyone Accidentally hurting people’s feelings Shares everything with partner What if the pope blasted cigs? Starting shit you don’t feel like finishing “I guess that was rude” No. 9/24

Taurus Treat yo’self Underappreciated at work Loyalty Great tastes in art&culture Spoiled (or wishing you were) Robe appreciation A vice (alcohol, weed, or comfort food) Homemaking/nesting Continuing to do something you don’t love just because you’re resistant to change Affection via touch Easy going Perfecting a wardrobe that is both comfy and flawless Having good ass eyebrows Highkey sensitive Stubborn af Not even taking your *own* advice Gossiping Lady in the street but a freak in the bed Creativity Spooning Commitment Stressing out over a change in someone’s tone of voice Finishing what you started Lots of venting lol 9/24

Gemini Unpopular opinion factory Secret&diverse intellectual landscape “Oh I got really into *miscellaneous hobby or topic* for a while” Intellectualizing or ignoring feelings Cleaning maybe once a year Look, a distraction! Thinking faster than you can talk Restless without hobbies Talking faster than you can think Reading four books at once Tons of energy Teaching others what you know Trivia machine Moodiness Knowing everything but also forgetting everything Existential crisis “Sorry I forgot to text you back” So many interests so little time Accidentally talking too loud Young at heart Pretty good public speaker Endless scrolling Shitposting Unpredictable sleep schedule 5/24

Cancer Connecting with women “Guess I’ll have to love you with my whole heart and soul” Vegetarianism/veganism Fear of rejection Surrounding yourself with soft blankets and  mood lighting Ferocious protector “I’m not going to dwell on it” *dwells on it* Takes child-rearing seriously Hardshell protecting soft ego Feeding sad friends Forecast: mood swings Heart of gold but still a badass Bad with boundaries Learning how to relax like it’s your job Lightweight drinker Yeah. Crying, ok? It’s not a big deal Mama trauma Food = comfort Nostalgia as a coping mechanism Identify built off memories Complaining Very emotionally intuitive of others Big fan of physical and emotional affection People telling you all their BS all the time 9/24

Leo Friendly Self-indulgence Never being able to tell if you’re the best or the worst People trying to compete with you lol Sensitive Decent at cheering people up Great hair Wardrobe swings between hot as hell and lazy af Interrupting Having a sense of honor Not doing something because you’re not good at it Talking too loud Finding dogs pretty relatable Creative talent Super supportive friend Enthusiasm Socializing like it’s your job&then needing to recharge Memes Priorities: eating and sleeping Boo hiss at rejection Looking good even when you feel like shit Drama Needing lots of love Loyal 9/24

Virgo Relating to Hermione Granger Gives great advice even when your own life is in shambles Flirting and running, an autobiography Petty Pretty damn intelligent Loving words/linguistics 8 hours of “studying” = 1 hour of real work Swings between clean and slobbish Indecision Splurging on food Mom friend A freak on the DL Peculiar eating habits Pretty good with words Good with pets and/or kids Known to schedule sex Multitasking af Cleaning as a coping mechanism “It me” Loves self-care but deprioritizes it 0 to hottie in 2 seconds flat Lowkey wood nymph All the receipts Bratty sub or service top 10/24

Libra If you can’t say something nice don’t say anything at all Pls no fighting Good judge of character Leadership roles in friendships Takes up less emotional space for the well being of others Art adoration Real glo up wizards Nature adoration Hates boredom Wholesome Keep it cute Emotionally braced for betrayal Lowkey running from problems with people Falling in love with people’s hearts/minds Investing in your appearance Loves all things cute Always the mediator Trust issues Charming Staying up to date on culture Taking the high road Always putting your feelings aside for others Aesthetics Mom friend 6/24

Scorpio Growing up early Being a new person every few years Black/dark wardrobe Pain is cool Interest in psychology/criminology/sociology Privacy Sexual but not promiscuous All or nothing thinking Intelligent Loner/lonely Taking care of everyone Would kill or die for loved ones Protective as fuck Bloodhound for truth Deep Fascination with death/insanity/occultism Love-hate relationships “idk I’m just feeling numb rn” Jealous or possessive Trust issues Loyal as fuck Secretly soft Gets shit done Boundaries 6/24

Sagittarius Long ass bucket list Prefers to mind their own business Unbothered Nice enough that people always think you’re hitting on them Fear of missing out Optimism Honest and upfront Your shit is lowkey not together Plenty of friends Snobby enough to have good taste Flirting your way into something you can’t finish Storyteller or philosophical preacher “Here for a good time, not a long time” “…rude” Free spirit “Films” Distracted Smarter than you look I’m just speaking my truth! “I’m just inviting a few people” Falls in love with your mind, then your body Blows up the aux cord Hedonism phases Horniness gets you into some shit lol 11/24

Capricorn On your grind Discipline dgaf attitude Stoic in the streets, softie in the sheets Planning ahead, way ahead Always prepared (Un)healthy coping mechanisms Likes structure Prioritizing self-mastery Loyal protector of friends, babies, and animals Basically born an adult Dark humor People being mad about your tough love Old soul Major procrastinator Kind of a know-it-all on the DL Major sadness and madness People thanking you for your tough love People think you’re responsible “Why was I programmed to feel pain” meme Parenting your parents “Lock that in the trauma vault” Either a loner or a socialite Giving advice like it’s your job 5/24

Aquarius Me, an intellectual: Needing to do things your way Superiority complex Gossip Conspiracy theories Skepticism Not even having the energy to tell people how wrong they are Courteous/considerate People love you but you hate people Lonely Outsider syndrome Relating to cats a great deal Hates being told what to do or when to do it Not trusting someone/something that’s popular Being accused of being emotionless Insightful Feeling like the only rational person in a room Existential crisis Devil’s advocate just to get people to think Rationalizing tf out of your feelings Hates small talk Vices You’re entitled to your opinion no matter how wrong it is Interest in sociology, psychology, and politics 10/24

Pisces Empath Dramatic Poetry or music Lots of imagination, fluctuating identity Getting high on being outside (and maybe weed) Alone time “Idk I’m just a lil sad rn idk” Spiritual af Helping people heal Existential dread Pets love you Mommy issues Good with kids Cathartic crying over art, movies, or nature Knowing how people feel before they do Feeling misunderstood/alone “Go with the flow” Encountering spirits On life: “I’m just here for the ride” Drugs Forgiving others but blaming yourself Kindness Sorry, I was dissociating Exploring nature 3/24

I am most like a: Sagittarius

I am actually a: Sagittarius (I actually don’t really believe in starsigns but here you go lol)

[flowergrownwritesrandomly]

Dabi uses Bakugou’s phone to send his number to his own phone, intending to track him.

Bakugou notices. He figures out who's on the other end of the unknown number.

Neither of them have done anything yet.

Well they have done something. Though ranting about the idiots they deal with might not be the communication most were expecting.

(Also, Kirishima and Toga are friends now. Who knows how that happened.)

Or: This was FUN to write, let me tell you.

Rating:

Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning

Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Category:

Gen

Fandom:

僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia

Relationships:

Bakugou Katsuki & Dabi, Bakugou Katsuki & Todoroki Touya, Dabi & League of Villains (My Hero Academia), Dabi & Takami Keigo | Hawks, Ashido Mina & Bakugou Katsuki & Jirou Kyouka & Kaminari Denki & Kirishima Eijirou & Sero Hanta, Bakugou Katsuki & Todoroki Shouto, Bakugou Katsuki & Satou Rikidou, Bakugou Katsuki & Ojiro Mashirao, Dabi & Usagiyama Rumi | Miruko, Kirishima Eijirou & Toga Himiko

Characters:

Dabi (My Hero Academia), Bakugou Katsuki, Kaminari Denki, Bubaigawara Jin | Twice, Iguchi Shuuichi | Spinner, Sero Hanta, Shigaraki Tomura | Shimura Tenko, Sako Atsuhiro | Mr. Compress, Ashido Mina, Kirishima Eijirou, Jirou KyoukavToga Himiko, Kurogiri (My Hero Academia), Satou Rikidou, Takami Keigo | Hawks, Usagiyama Rumi | Miruko, Todoroki Enji | Endeavor, Todoroki Shouto, Midoriya Izuku, Chisaki Kai | Overhaul, Mineta Minoru, Todoroki Natsuo, Hikiishi Kenji | Magne, Bakugou Mitsuki, Bakugou Masaru, Todoroki Rei, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Okuta Kagerou | Giran, Utsushimi Camie, Geten (My Hero Academia), Yoarashi Inasa

Additional Tags:

Dabi is Todoroki Touya, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Texting, Memes, Bonding, Cat pictures, Interesting Coping Mechanisms, not really a wrong number fic but pretty close honestly, Accidental friendship, Two enemies complaining about the exasperating people they have to deal with, mentioned trans characters, ADHD Characters, League of Villains Shenanigans (My Hero Academia), Class 1-A Shenanigans (My Hero Academia), Todoroki Enji | Endeavor's Bad Parenting, Bakugou Mitsuki's Bad Parenting, this is kind of a side story to clarify how Dabi ended up having Bakugou's number, Mineta whomst? I only know Shinsou, No beta we die like the manly (wo)men Kirishima wants us to be, Enjoy this disaster lol

[jimkirkachu]

Idk if you saw but I sent you some messages in the notes of your last post and basically just know that I’m here if you ever wanna talk and also your feelings are valid and it’s totally ok to not feel ok right now. Also to keep in mind that this quarantine period won’t last forever and that we will all get through this together. And even if you did see sit I just wanted to say that to you again because it is important to remember and it’s true. You got this!!

(This turned into a long post so more under the cut.  Trigger warnings for coronavirus, mental illness, depression, anxiety, ptsd, isolation, low self esteem)

(2/4) I wonder if it would help you if I distracted you? Maybe I could send you a funny crack fanfic I wrote one time? It’s about 100 words and it’s about Star Trek

(3/4) Oh! I also know what could maybe also help! A list of things that you could do if you get bored! Ok so what I’ve been doing is texting my friends and look at memes mostly. So you could do that! Or maybe, you could watch a tv show. Like it could be Star Trek or a totally new show! Or maybe you could throw a pillow at the wall (idk I do that when I’m stressed sometimes and it helps?) or you could do some crafts! Or you could read a fanfiction. Or do anything you want.(I realy hope this is helpful)

(4/4) Also if it makes you feel any better I’ve been pretty stressed out too. Like I haven’t done any homework and I was supposed to do an assignment in each class for the last three days lol… now I’m way behind. So in other words, I hope it brings you comfort that you aren’t the only one? Although idk what you are going through and it might be harder who knows but I just hope you know that you aren’t alone

Oh my goodness dear, first things first, I am so sorry it’s taken me until now to respond.  I’m so overwhelmed by how thoughtful and sweet you are, and all of your ideas and suggestions are wonderful.  (Oh, and absolutely feel free to send me ANY Trek stories ANY time!!) 💙💛💙💛💙💛🖖

The ironic part about my feeling so lonely is that it’s not the pandemic itself or the social isolating/distancing that have been getting me down.  (I’m actually kind of a hermit even without a global disease outbreak.)  As it turns out, my best means of coping with the stress and fear of the whole coronavirus thing (and with upsetting local/national/world news in general) is talking it out with people, discussing and brainstorming and just getting it out of my head and out in the open.  Somehow that process makes me feel less like I’m drowning in my anxiety and depression and ptsd…?  But the thing is, the 3 irl friends I have are apparently super triggered by talking about current events, including (as I found out the hard way) anything about covid.  I had no idea one of them in particular was suddenly having panic attacks any time it came up (they’re all in isolation together, where I’m in a totally different state) and when I mentioned it one day (the day of the first covid-related death in my state, so I was sort of terrified and just looking for reassurance or comfort or sympathy I guess, especially since the 2 people I live with were gone for the week at that point so I was literally alone), I was scolded big time right there in the group chat for causing so much pain and anxiety.  I’ve now spent the last 2 weeks feeling like a horrible, atrocious, despicable friend/human being because, well… my only coping mechanism for this situation is actively harmful and triggering to the only friends I have in real life.

So… I’ve been keeping busy with writing, reading, knitting, and replaying an old video game from my childhood that sort of feels like a security blanket.  But I immensely appreciate your sentiment that I’m not really alone (even if my dumpster fire of a brain doesn’t always believe it).  Especially with the cocktail of mental health issues I have that already make me feel isolated in my own body/mind every day, plus my extreme sensitivity to anything rejection-/discipline-like, the whole plague thing has really pounded me into the ground the last couple weeks and I’m so grateful for your kindness, compassion, and support that I’m afraid I can’t really put it into words.  Just… thank you so so so so much, dear. 💜💜💜

[runrundoyourstuff]

Lapis Lazuli

(continuation of this post, prompted by @demonsanddogweeds​ in relation to this character ask meme)

Why I like them

I’m really impressed with how her trauma and her PTSD are written. It’s in a way that shows her struggling with it in real and substantive ways--changing her with and because of it--but which also doesn’t embody the entirety of what her character is, and which also doesn’t blame her for it. And, also her PTSD is written in a way that is comprehensible and digestible to children, I think--this is at the end of the day, a children’s show--even if the name PTSD is never used.

Why I don’t

It’s a bit painful now to watch how she talks to Peridot initially in Barn Mates. I don’t blame her, given that Peridot was one of the people who took her prisoner with Jasper--and I actually think it’s a good writing choice, but still. Ya know. It’s hard.

Favorite episode (scene if movie)

I’m gonna say Alone at Sea. I really cannot stress enough how powerful an episode it is for her, in which she is able to like face Jasper and the abuse that she suffered at her hand, admit that she misses her, but that it wasn’t healthy, and that she didn’t like how she felt when they were together. Like kudos to her for facing Jasper but also for like...facing her own emotions.

(Can’t Go Back is a close second, though.)

Favorite season/movie

Actually, Season 1. I love seeing the evolution of how she deals with her trauma, and like the desperate need for control that it creates. 

This desire for control is manifest throughout the season, first in Ocean Gem, she desperately wants to control her circumstances, and literally the ocean, to get home. And then in more insidious ways throughout the rest of the season. In the The Message and the beginning of Jailbreak, she essentially tells Steven: "If we do everything they say they might go easy on us!", reflecting her need  for there to be order in the universe, some sort of mandated code of behavior--moral or otherwise--that she can tap into, because I think on a fundamental level, if that's true, then she has some control. Even if she messes up and is punished for it, it means that she is fundamentally in control of what happens to her. 

But then at the end of Jailbreak, she turns this on its head, empowers herself seizes control for herself by becoming Malachite and trapping Jasper. (Granted, this was super unhealthy, and like not good for her, and I’m glad it’s not where her story ended, because she deserves better! But I think this act of self-empowerment set the stage for the rest of the wonderful things she does, including and especially coming back to Earth and officially joining the Crystal Gems in Reunited.)

Favorite line

That’s gotta be her line in Reunited, after everyone else is debilitated by Blue Diamond’s sadness wave, while she just wipes the tears out of her eyes and says:

“I’ve felt worse.”

It’s just like this moment of really powerful writing in which she is able to fight not in spite of her depression/PTSD/mental health issues, but because of them. I love that.

Favorite outfit

I know we’ve only seen her in it once, but I love the baseball uniform/costume she puts on as “Bob” in Hit the Diamond:

OTP

Uh, I guess Peridot. I’m not much of a shipper, but I do love their close relationship and how it’s evolved over the series, whether we consider it romantic or platonic.

Brotp

I really adore her relationship with Steven. :) (Also Peridot, if we’re not shipping them.)

Head Canon

Like many folks with depression, Lapis uses sleep as a sort of escape and coping mechanism. Which explains why she does it even though she doesn’t need to.

Unpopular opinion

This one is kinda incidental and maybe a bit messed up, but I kinda like how she looks in Mirror Gem and Ocean Gem before Steven heals her...like without eyes. It’s a creepy design, but I think it’s creepy in a cool way.

A wish

I’d really love to see her and Pearl have a conversation about the fact that Pearl found the mirror and never freed her. (I’m not sure Pearl knew there was a sentient Gem still in there, in her defense.) For that matter, I’d love to see a conversation between Lapis and Bismuth, given the fact that Bismuth is the one that poofed her in the first place--which ultimately resulted in her being put on the mirror.

An oh-god-please-dont-ever-happen

Now that there’s a good chance that she’s gonna move into the Beach House with the Crystal Gems, I'd really feel bad if any of the Boardies recognize her as the Gem that stole the ocean and like blame her for it.

5 words to best describe them

Desperate, Traumatized, Strong-Willed, Insecure, Graceful

My nickname for them

Uhhh...just Lapis? A waterbender? (sorry lol i’m bad at the nickname thing)

[herasyndlla]

Star Wars and Adora for the meme :)

oh god, all of star wars

Favorite character: ezra bridger, but for a long time it was luke. (other runner ups are kanan and rey. listen... i love those very good good jedi)

Least Favorite character: i don’t really know if i have a least favourite but like, hux is super boring to me. i see his overall purpose in the story and i think he needs to be there but he’s... whatever. i mean he’s hilarious and i laugh a lot but i don’t care about him lol

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): not in order but han/leia, kanan/hera, finn/rey, ahsoka and ladies, poe and men, obi wan and all his ex boyfriends.

Character I find most attractive: kanan jarrus is the most handsome man in the entire galaxy oh boy. 

Character I would marry: finn would be lovely to marry

Character I would be best friends with: i want to be best friends with ezra or rey but i think that would stress me out.

a random thought: i can’t believe i’m blanking on a random thought, i have so many great ones that are all 100% correct. um... kanan died first because he knew he wouldn’t be able to handle the stress of any of his family dying before him, even of natural causes. listen, no one has ever said kanan has good coping mechanisms. 

An unpopular opinion: nah i don’t do these.

My Canon OTP: kanan/hera. sigh :(

My Non-canon OTP: luke/ezra is a very very good one. i’m also now very into poe and jacen having an on and off relationship.

Most Badass Character: don’t make me pick

Most Epic Villain: i mean, palpatine. he was the only truly happy person in the galaxy ever. i don’t believe he was even angry when he died, i think he was mildly tickled cause vader/anakin actually surprised him. palpatine had it all planned out he was always going to be on top. THAT SAID ezra, a depressed 18 year old, did keep him from becoming master of the universe. so.... is he actually epic?

Pairing I am not a fan of: i don’t care at all for lux/ashoka but listen, it’s just ahsoka thinking she has to like a boy and idk padmé probably told her that because she and lux argued a ton it meant that they liked each other. but i’m glad it went nowhere because ahsoka is gay.

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): i think george did padmé dirty in rots. i wish the scenes about starting the rebellion and more senate stuff had been allowed to stay in. 

Favourite Friendship: FAVOURITE FRIENDSHIP?!?!!? I CAN’T PICK THIS. 

Character I most identify with: i’m like... a mix of rey, ezra, and kanan.

Character I wish I could be: i mean.... if i was rey i could smooch finn. and be badass. 

now for adora

How I feel about this character: oh man i love adora. she’s so sweet and tough and she tries so hard. i love that lesbian. 

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character: i mean..... catra obviously, i have eyes. but i do also love all the princesses falling in love with her because i too would have fallen for adora.

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character: i love her friendship with glimmer and bow. BEST FRIEND SQUAD.

My unpopular opinion about this character: i don’t do unpopular opinions.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: let her kiss catra

Favorite friendship for this character: best friend squad

My crossover ship: you know what would be so so so good? adora and korra

[galadrieljones]

OC Favorite Drinks Meme

tagged by @sasshole-for-rent​. sorry this is so delayed!! but you know me well to tag me in this lol.

Rules: List all your ocs/canon character you adore from each fandom you are in, and describe their favorite drink (I.e. alcohol, non-alchoholic drinks, flavorful kisses of their lover, etc.) Then tag whom ever y'all want!

Dragon Age

Solas loves that whiskey. He prefers bourbon, but he’ll drink scotch if it’s offered to him. Solas has a history of abusing alcohol during stressful periods in his life, so he is always aware of how much he’s had (unless he’s with Sene’s dad, as then he has little choice in the matter lol).

Sene Lavellan is a rosé girl. She also loves all bubbly wine, and her family is famous for its wonderful small batch champagnes.

Revasan Lavellan, like Solas, prefers whiskey over all else. He drinks it neat. However, he is an arrogant asshole, and if the bottle he’s drinking doesn’t have a Lavellan label on it, he will make a face.

Rasha Lavellan has a buttery, heavy spirit and prefers brandy and cognac. She likes dessert wines as well. 

Skyrim

Osk Frostborn, my nord Dragonborn, is only eighteen, but she was orphaned young and as a pure warrior, she lives hard, and so she has a lot of issues with dependency. She drinks heavily, anything she can get her hands on (preferably Black-Briar Mead if she can afford it), but after her beloved horse Frost is killed by a troll in Falkreath, she drifts into the Rift and falls prey to a gnarly skooma addiction for several months. Not until she stumbles upon a vampire smuggling operation concerning some creepy “Red Skooma” shit deep in the backwater does she see how fucked up she’s become and finally claw her way out of the gutter. Rootless, she returns to the Dark Brotherhood, the only family she’s got, and they save her Talos-foresaken soul. Then, she gets a new horse–one who can’t die–named Shadowmere, who she loves more than the whole world.

The Last of Us

Joel is not a man of many vices, but back in Tommy’s compound, it is mentioned they’ve got crops, and so there’s probably corn, and I could see a speakeasy cropping up, run by some smart mouth old man who wandered in from Bozeman or something, and this man knows how to distill his own booze. Joel might partake in whiskey drinking, using scrupulous moderation, to ease his mind in the evenings.

Ellie I always view as kind of a straight-laced teenager who’s gotten caught up in terrible circumstances. She’s nerdy and bookish and a tomboy and she’d be disinterested in alcohol. But I bet she loves soda. Like, coca-cola. I imagine they find some old flavor syrup in a restaurant one day, and Maria’s dad rigs up a way to carbonate water to mix up with it. This probably is going to make Ellie’s entire year, tbh.

Horizon: Zero Dawn

Nil distills his own moonshine using methods he learned while incarcerated at Sunstone Rock. He has issues with dependency but has been easing off this past year, mostly because he sees how it affects his ability to defend and fight alongside Aloy, and this bothers him.

Aloy first really discovers the effects of alcohol via Nil. While she is controlling by nature and not at all prone to addiction, its intoxicating effects do draw her in. She keeps around Nil’s moonshine if she’s got some, or else fancy red wines purchased at various marketplaces in Meridian.  

Rost, I feel, was a man who made his own booze. As an outcast, I could even picture him as a bootlegger, somebody who cooked booze and sold it to other outcasts and also bandits. I feel like he, himself, would have enjoyed warm drinks, like whiskey and lemon and hot tea. I know that we know NOTHING about Rost but he must have been proud and withdrawn by nature, and very very tough. Somehow he ended up alone, offering to take in Aloy. A man doesn’t just do that. Something drove him to it, and so booze, like it is for so many, became a coping mechanism for him.

@thevikingwoman @ithun @buttsonthebeach @ladylike-foxes @wrenbee @ellstersmash @bearly-tolerable (and anyone else who’d like to do this!!) <3

[bymylights]

The Identity Asks: 15 and 19, one hard and one easy ;)

the extension of the title for these asks, “oh shit” is accurate lol.

15. five most influential books over your lifetime

we’ll go chronologically, according to my life (loosely)

1) Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson: for someone who really enjoyed the process of learning to read, it was actually quite a few years before i got into reading books for fun. this is the first novel outside of school i can recall really getting into, and it was my gateway drug. i think i even made fanart before knowing that was a thing. A young, kick ass (literally) female protagonist who’s headstrong and funny and caring and lost, looking after the survival/well-being of her sought-after homeless family of part avian outcasts – what was a 10/11 yr old nina not to like? Max’s attitude, practical paranoia, will, and devotion stay with me.

2) Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks: an obsession, and something of a lifeline throughout my life. a horcrux if i were to ever have one. since i was 12ish, i’ve read it (+sequels) many times, picking up on different things as i’ve matured. reading it feels like home and my affections for the characters make them feel like friends. this book, for me, is comfort. i think during times of stress i feel as if i’ve resided there, like a kind of mind palace i’ve come to naturally turn to for retreat or just for fun. maybe that’s not a healthy coping mechanism but its dear to me. I describe it as a comfort, and while it does include plenty of laughs, friendship, and weird whimsical satire, its a rather dark and unusual YA book. Its happiest moments and triumphs are inseparable from its melancholia. its maybe not for everyone. the book’s description can make it seem like the fun adventure of a lonely, insanely smart kid who thwarts adults and rules to stop a criminal mastermind… but, more accurately, its a rollercoaster journey depicting the moral development of a young boy, Cadel, forced to think for himself and use his smarts to fight his way through a world of selfish elitism and deceit created largely by the sole father figure he loved and who nurtured him. he makes quirky friends who are crucial to his development, and he learns that there is great(er) value to elements of the human fabric other than intelligence, like honesty and kindness. I feel a solidarity with Cadel, in his peculiarities, flaws, desperate yet tentative love for those close to him, sense of overbearing responsibility, strength, and complex feelings, and when the story makes me feel an intense need to protect and care for him, sometimes i can extend those good intentions to myself.

are you still reading? lol

3) The Giver by Lois Lowry: reading this book was one of my favourite parts of grade eight. i hadn’t really read anything like it before. it might have been my first dystopia? or a first time reading a novel in which info about the world was slowly established? with this book, i tend to just remember its impact, WOAH. despite being a fairly popular award-winning book used in schools, i can recall only a few of us enjoying it. i remember wishing all of my classmates felt as ‘woke’ as i had. it makes you question the system, it makes you think about everyday things we take for granted. it gives you a sense of wonder about beauty and pain in life, as if seeing them for the firs time. it highlights the importance of individuality and diversity in experience, and of how feeling enriches our lives and plays a role in moral reasoning. 

4) Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling: though amazed by my classmates’ fascination with harry potter, i was late to jump on this train. for some reason, i didn’t think it was for me. i was wrong. near all of tumblr can tell you how wonderful this series is. fans are getting something new out of these books regularly, which i love to see. what is unique to harry potter’s influence in my life, is that it’s created a community among my peers out of a collective love for the series.. i get to be a part of such a large, powerful cultural phenomena. one that acts as a good force in the world. one that we can trace back to an outspoken role model (Rowling), who continues to inspire on many fronts. when i look at pop culture from past decades and wish i could have been alive during the height of a craze, i appreciate that i get to be here for harry potter. not to mention the sweet memes. harry potter is always heartwarming.

5) Philosophy books by philosophers, and psychology books by social scientists: i can’t choose. too many have influenced me. yes, im sorry, this is a lazy answer. but my university studies have been hugely influential and do deserve a spot on the list. social psych, neuropsych, cognition, argumentation, logic, philosophy of science and neuroscience, philosophy of technology, ethics, stoics, existentialists, analytics, epistemology, continental philosophy…i have no idea who i’d be today if it weren’t for my engagement with literature on these subjects and their intersections. they’ve affected my emotional and moral growth as much as my intellectual development.

19. which Harry Potter house would you be in? or are you a muggle?

I am a Gryffinclaw if youre into the hybrid thing, if not, straight up Gryffindor. i only know where i fit in Hogwarts houses though, i’ve yet to test myself on any others.

Thanks for the asks, friend!

[riajade01]

2, 3, 7, 8, 10 for your tomato c:

2. Who’s the one to send the other “I love my gf/bf” memesNeither, really. Vette would send them to Jaesa, easily, but neither Mara nor Quinn are really meme people. Mara is aware of all Holonet Traditions and is so vaguely conversant, but Quinn is not. Mara did send him some once purely to see him make Perplexed Face trying to decipher it. As a result he spent several weeks testing whether memes might be artificially introduced to the Holonet as a means of communicating with embedded Imperial agents but found the logic behind what might go sufficiently viral too questionable for even his smartest algorithms.

3. Who’s the one who listens to a music genre the other doesn’t like and how does the other reactQuinn is suuuper into Triumphal Period opera. It’s the one thing where Quinn’s usual reserve kind of evaporates; Triumphal opera is gaudy and experimental and basically sounds like this. Mara is very much not into opera from that period. She prefers the Ascendant Period, which Quinn does like as well, but he enjoys the Extra nature of the Triumphal Period. If the stately Imperial supremacy of the Ascendent Period is good, MORE OF IT must be better, yes?

Anyway. Depending on her mood when Quinn puts on his ‘screeching wrat’ music, as she calls it, she will often pantomime the rhetorical wrat in question, much to Quinn’s chagrin and reluctant amusement. Every so often something he plays will strike her fancy and she’ll ask him for details about it, both out of honest curiosity and also because of the adorable way his eyes light up as he discusses the topic.

7. Are their friends/family supportiveOvech is Quinn’s dearest friend in the Maraverse, and dear lord YES he ships it. Honestly if Quinn hadn’t made a move when he did, Ovech may have started messaging Mara separately to be like, “YES this dumb idiot likes you and YES he wants to have all your babies ever, he’s just very, very nervous about being treated like shit so maybe reassure him on that front.“

My headcanon for Quinn’s mother is still very nebulous - I thought I had an idea I liked but I have since scrapped it. However, I get the sense that she’s sort of cautiously supportive of her son marrying a Sith. She has nothing against Mara per se, but Quinn’s her only child and Sith on average are arrogant at best around Force-blind people. She wants him to be happy and loved, and at first she worries that Mara can’t give him that.

Mara’s extended family is also cautiously optimistic. Given Mara is half human, they had hoped she’d find a nice Pureblood person to marry and have children with, but no one can question Quinn’s devotion to the Empire or to her, and it’s obvious when she introduces him to her family how ridiculously besotted she is. So they accept it, and come to like him after awhile.

That said, Mara’s father LOVES Quinn, lol. They serve in different branches of the military and Quinn is sort of intimidated by Admiral Thrask, but there’s a lot of common ground there and Gilad is able to offer a lot of advice and support to Quinn about being a Force-blind human marrying into a noble Sith house. Getting them together is like… the start speaking an entirely different language of tactics and new equipment and other military minutia and Mara just wanders off to do her own thing.

8. How does one comfort the other when the other is in distress/having a panic attack/cryingHmm. Quinn’s anxiety is almost omnipresent, so he has a lot of his own coping mechanisms. But when it gets acute, into panic attack territory, Mara walks him through a breathing exercise she learned as an acolyte. As he moves through it, he becomes more comfortable with being touched, and that usually breaks the spiral. Fundamentally, his anxiety is about being safe and heard, and Mara comes to epitomize that safety to him. Her touch is supremely grounding for him. There’s a formula to this, which is honestly helpful to him; Quinn finds a lot of comfort in routine and predictability, so knowing how she will respond when he begins to spiral is in and of itself soothing. (Which… makes her reaction to the Quinncident all the more unhelpful, because they both make sure that trust between them is shattered for a time.)

Mara doesn’t deal with anxiety so much, but Quinn learned quickly that his emotional state is extremely pertinent to being able to provide comfort in situations where she is in distress; he can hold her all he wants, but if he’s freaking out she can feel that and it takes precedence. Over time Quinn learns to sort of project what she needs from him. Everything else - anxiety, fear, etc. - associated with a stressful situation are there, but he focuses on what she needs to make it louder, so to speak. It’s sort of his service kink taken to the nth degree.

10. Which one stares at the other’s booty like “damn” and how does the other react when catching themTruthfully, they both do this. 

Mara’s more obvious about it; she’s the one leaning back with her boots on a console openly staring and will meet his gaze when he turns around and catches her. Even after years of marriage, he always blushes and stammers a little when realizes what she’s doing. It’s not that he doesn’t know that he’s good looking, exactly, he just can’t believe that she desires him, both sexually and emotionally.

Quinn, by contrast, will be, to an outside observer, completely focused on work, his eyes adrift just slightly from the screen in front of him when Mara enters the room. She always catches him, because the Force gives her an unfair advantage and she can feel when his concentration wanders. Knowing that doesn’t stop him. When she realizes, she usually looks over her shoulder at him and shifts to give him a better view. Because of course she does.

[thevikingwoman]

rules: tag nine people you want to get to know better

I did something similar a while back, but I think some of these questions are a little different? In any case, I was tagged by @thewildelf , thank you!

questions:

what’s your age?

I am 38.

what’s your current job?

I am a Software Development Engineer. 

what are you talented at?

Err? Not sure. Making lists? uh no I guess that is a coping mechanism.  Baking! I actually used to run a baking blog, but it is dormant. I like baking bread, and I have great feel for when the dough is kneaded enough - I used to bake with mom from I was very little (I can never make bread in a stand mixer, where is the feel, the zen? I’m a bread luddite). I am also pretty good at baking cakes and such, where it is more about precision. I am good at following precise instructions, and also good and figuring out what can be less precise (like American style cookies, you can fudge around a lot here). 

what is a big goal you are working toward (or have already achieved)?

Loose a lot of weight, but slowly, making healthy choices for food and do more exercise.  Get some help dealing with my anxiety and stress.

what’s your aesthetic?

Simple, light, bright, clear, sharp (aka Scandinavian design, lol). But also nature. 

do you collect anything?

Nail polish is the only think really. And I am trying to buy less (since I can probably polish my nails, and your nails, and yours... from now until doomsday)

what’s a topic you always talk about?

I love to talk! About almost any topic! Denmark (where I’m from), video games, horses, cats, fish, figure skating, makeup, nail polish (duh), America, travel, fantasy, books, history, feminism, politics (with good friends mostly though, lol), pen and paper roleplaying, technology, the future, cars, opera, my kids, your kids, parenting, nature...

what’s a pet peeve of yours?

People not using their blinkers when driving. Especially in roundabouts. (you use them when you EXIT the roundabout. DO IT PEOPLE!)

good advice to give?

Take all advice/recommendations/rules with a grain of salt. Be sure to apply your own common sense and weigh what works for you. I found this to be espeicaloly true when it comes to parenting advice and rules on ‘how to interview’.

what are three songs you’d recommend?

Ok, I am repeating this from a previous meme, dragging out some opera again:

Choir of the Hebrew Slaves from Verdi’s Nabucco.  (most beautiful choral piece ever) Ride of the Valkyries from Wagner’s Die Walkure  (dramatic, and this particular staging is awesome) Allein, weh, ganz allein from Richard Strauss’ Elektra  (she is crazy, the music is crazy, and the whole opera is just so intense with all the dissonance)

I’m tagging @whosafraidofthebigbaddreadwolf @ma-sulevin @wrenbee @notsosecretsolasobsession if  you want to :)

[surveyhoursss]

4.

Zodiac Bingo

Aries Gotta go fast Independence Participant, always Fuck you, don’t tell me what do to *brooding intensifies* Good sense of humor I ain’t neva scared “I’m not competitive but I’m gonna win” Assertive Going first Running yellow lights

People are drawn to you even tho you don’t invite them Feelings = action Impulsivity Creative Leader Competent “I thought you didn’t like me”-everyone Accidentally hurting people’s feelings Shares everything with partner What if the pope blasted cigs? Starting shit you don’t feel like finishing “I guess that was rude” No. 6/24

Taurus Treat yo’self Underappreciated at work Loyalty Great tastes in art&culture Spoiled (or wishing you were) Robe appreciation A vice (alcohol, weed, or comfort food) Homemaking/nesting Continuing to do something you don’t love just because you’re resistant to change Affection via touch Easy going Perfecting a wardrobe that is both comfy and flawless Having good ass eyebrows Highkey sensitive Stubborn af Not even taking your *own* advice Gossiping Lady in the street but a freak in the bed Creativity Spooning Commitment Stressing out over a change in someone’s tone of voice Finishing what you started Lots of venting lol 15/24

Gemini Unpopular opinion factory Secret&diverse intellectual landscape “Oh I got really into *miscellaneous hobby or topic* for a while” Intellectualizing or ignoring feelings Cleaning maybe once a year Look, a distraction! Thinking faster than you can talk Restless without hobbies Talking faster than you can think Reading four books at once Tons of energy Teaching others what you know Trivia machine Moodiness Knowing everything but also forgetting everything Existential crisis “Sorry I forgot to text you back” So many interests so little time Accidentally talking too loud Young at heart Pretty good public speaker Endless scrolling Shitposting Unpredictable sleep schedule 14/24

Cancer Connecting with women “Guess I’ll have to love you with my whole heart and soul” Vegetarianism/veganism Fear of rejection Surrounding yourself with soft blankets and  mood lighting Ferocious protector “I’m not going to dwell on it” *dwells on it* Takes child-rearing seriously Hardshell protecting soft ego Feeding sad friends Forecast: mood swings Heart of gold but still a badass Bad with boundaries Learning how to relax like it’s your job Lightweight drinker Yeah. Crying, ok? It’s not a big deal Mama trauma Food = comfort Nostalgia as a coping mechanism Identify built off memories Complaining Very emotionally intuitive of others Big fan of physical and emotional affection People telling you all their BS all the time 11/24

Leo Friendly Self-indulgence Never being able to tell if you’re the best or the worst People trying to compete with you lol Sensitive Decent at cheering people up Great hair Wardrobe swings between hot as hell and lazy af Interrupting Having a sense of honor Not doing something because you’re not good at it Talking too loud Finding dogs pretty relatable Creative talent Super supportive friend Enthusiasm Socializing like it’s your job&then needing to recharge Memes Priorities: eating and sleeping Boo hiss at rejection Looking good even when you feel like shit Drama Needing lots of love Loyal 12/24

Virgo Relating to Hermione Granger Gives great advice even when your own life is in shambles Flirting and running, an autobiography Petty Pretty damn intelligent Loving words/linguistics 8 hours of “studying” = 1 hour of real work Swings between clean and slobbish Indecision Splurging on food Mom friend A freak on the DL Peculiar eating habits Pretty good with words Good with pets and/or kids Known to schedule sex Multitasking af Cleaning as a coping mechanism “It me” Loves self-care but deprioritizes it 0 to hottie in 2 seconds flat Lowkey wood nymph All the receipts Bratty sub or service top 14/24

Libra If you can’t say something nice don’t say anything at all Pls no fighting Good judge of character Leadership roles in friendships Takes up less emotional space for the well being of others Art adoration Real glo up wizards Nature adoration Hates boredom Wholesome Keep it cute Emotionally braced for betrayal Lowkey running from problems with people Falling in love with people’s hearts/minds Investing in your appearance Loves all things cute Always the mediator Trust issues Charming Staying up to date on culture Taking the high road Always putting your feelings aside for others Aesthetics Mom friend 17/24

Scorpio Growing up early Being a new person every few years Black/dark wardrobe Pain is cool Interest in psychology/criminology/sociology Privacy Sexual but not promiscuous All or nothing thinking Intelligent Loner/lonely Taking care of everyone Would kill or die for loved ones Protective as fuck Bloodhound for truth Deep Fascination with death/insanity/occultism Love-hate relationships “idk I’m just feeling numb rn” Jealous or possessive Trust issues Loyal as fuck Secretly soft Gets shit done Boundaries 13/24

Sagittarius Long ass bucket list Prefers to mind their own business Unbothered Nice enough that people always think you’re hitting on them Fear of missing out Optimism Honest and upfront Your shit is lowkey not together Plenty of friends Snobby enough to have good taste Flirting your way into something you can’t finish Storyteller or philosophical preacher “Here for a good time, not a long time” “…rude” Free spirit “Films” Distracted Smarter than you look I’m just speaking my truth! “I’m just inviting a few people” Falls in love with your mind, then your body Blows up the aux cord Hedonism phases Horniness gets you into some shit lol 5/24

Capricorn On your grind Discipline dgaf attitude Stoic in the streets, softie in the sheets Planning ahead, way ahead Always prepared (Un)healthy coping mechanisms Likes structure Prioritizing self-mastery Loyal protector of friends, babies, and animals Basically born an adult Dark humor People being mad about your tough love Old soul Major procrastinator Kind of a know-it-all on the DL Major sadness and madness People thanking you for your tough love People think you’re responsible “Why was I programmed to feel pain” meme Parenting your parents “Lock that in the trauma vault” Either a loner or a socialite Giving advice like it’s your job 11/24

Aquarius Me, an intellectual: Needing to do things your way Superiority complex Gossip Conspiracy theories Skepticism Not even having the energy to tell people how wrong they are Courteous/considerate People love you but you hate people Lonely Outsider syndrome Relating to cats a great deal Hates being told what to do or when to do it Not trusting someone/something that’s popular Being accused of being emotionless Insightful Feeling like the only rational person in a room Existential crisis Devil’s advocate just to get people to think Rationalizing tf out of your feelings Hates small talk Vices You’re entitled to your opinion no matter how wrong it is Interest in sociology, psychology, and politics 12/24

Pisces Empath Dramatic Poetry or music Lots of imagination, fluctuating identity Getting high on being outside (and maybe weed) Alone time “Idk I’m just a lil sad rn idk” Spiritual af Helping people heal Existential dread Pets love you Mommy issues Good with kids Cathartic crying over art, movies, or nature Knowing how people feel before they do Feeling misunderstood/alone “Go with the flow” Encountering spirits On life: “I’m just here for the ride” Drugs Forgiving others but blaming yourself Kindness Sorry, I was dissociating Exploring nature 14/24

I am most like a: Libra

I am actually a: Taurus